Thursday, July 30, 2015

Ye Olde Partners Page

*A Collection of Antiquarian Curios & Relics*
"Come on, man.  I had a rough night and I hate the f*cking Eagles, man . . ."
                                                                                     --The Dude, The Big Lebowski

OBSERVATIONS AT THE HEMINGWAY LOOK-ALIKE CONTEST

  Wow!  What a crazy scene!  I think half the wackos in the world are at this gig.  Speaking of which, my uncle, Sir Charles Edmund Wilson III has entered himself in the 'Papa' Hemingway Look-Alike Contest once again.  Between you and me, he looks nothing like Papa, but I'm pretty sure he comes every year because this is a close as he can get to seeing him once more.  Before he pulled a Kurt Cobain, Hemingway had burned his bridges with most of his friends, but my uncle was one of the few who hung on to the bitter end.  Much like The Eagles in music, Papa was one of those polarizing authors who you either hated or loved.
  In honor of the event, I found a quiet corner and started reading Stewart James' collection of short stories, Writing with Hemingway at City Park Grill (9780988501157) 24.95.  Good stuff, but not exactly the best atmosphere for reading, so I hopped on my iPhone to see what titles are hot at Partners.  As of this moment, the most requested title has been another of Dr. Seuss' lost gems, What Pet Should I Get? (9780553524260) 17.99.  I know we couldn't give away Horton and the Kwuggerbug etc. when it was released and whatever the other lost classic was before that one, but this one has gone viral.  We're hoping to get our next shipment by Friday.

 

  Which reminds me.  We have a new children's title that I believe the young Hemingway would have enjoyed while fishing on Walloon Lake in upper Michigan.  It's called The Flight of Megizzewas (9780692252482) 18.85 by Karen Trolenberg.  However, the best part of this book is the artwork by Christopher Smith; it almost appears that the eagle (Meggizzewas) is going to flap right off the page and into your room.


  Another sorta surprise bestseller is YouTube SensationTM Miranda Sings' Selp Helf (9781501117947) 22.99.  Great title.  I've had to either spell out the title or explain it to every customer I've spoken with over the last few days.  Thanks, Miranda.  We still have a few in the secret stash.


  Well, my uncle appears crestfallen.  I guess he didn't win again this year.  Geez, what kind of get-up does his loyal manservant Chip have on?
  I ask, "Hey, Uncle Chuck, why is Chip wearing a wig and woman's clothes?"
  "Dear boy, Chip is playing Hadley Richardson to my Hemingway.  Just like in Paula McLain's book, The Paris Wife (9780345521316) 16.00."


  "Yeah, I know who Paula McLain is.  In fact, she has a new book out called Circling the Sun (9780345534187) 28.00 about Beryl Markham."


  My uncle makes a non-committal sound halfway between a grunt and a sneeze.  For a moment I think he's going to launch into one of his stories about Beryl, but instead, he reaches into a sack and pulls out a couple bottles of wine.
 "Let's celebrate!"

Odds & Sods


College football season is right around the corner.  There's a new sheriff in town in Ann Arbor, and there certainly won't be a shortage of new books to capitalize on the re-invigorated Wolverine football program. John U. Bacon is back with Endzone: The Rise, Fall, and Return of Michigan Football (9781250078971) 27.99, which is due September 1. Longtime equipment manager Jon Falk has a new one, Forty Years in the Big House (9781629370736) 24.95, which we received today.  Lastly, even Arcadia Publishing is getting in on the action with The Game:  The Michigan-Ohio State Football Rivalry (9781467114585) 21.99. I can almost smell the pigskin!

  

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